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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: goodlife on August 28, 2010, 15:40:44

Title: Mystery bean
Post by: goodlife on August 28, 2010, 15:40:44
I've got a bean growing happily but the b....y label has gone.. ::)OH was too keen with strimmer and did go too close to my plants..
I've been through my box and I just cannot put name for this one...does it look familiar for any of you...?
[attachment=1]
[attachment=2]
I cannot tell about seed colour as none is quite that far yet..
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: galina on August 28, 2010, 16:32:27
Goodlife,

This is an interesting looking bean.  Perhaps we can get there by process of elimination.

It is NOT purple flowered
It is NOT a dwarf french bean
It is NOT any of the other white flowering french beans growing on your plot at the moment with the label still on (unless you planted the same variety in two places :))

How many other contenders does that leave?  With a list there is a good chance somebody will be able to identify it.  Or can say which variety it definitely is not.
Galina

Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: aj on August 28, 2010, 16:34:07
Could you at least give us the list of beans that you sowed?

There are hundreds and hundreds of different climbers out there!
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: Digeroo on August 28, 2010, 16:35:20
I was also going to ask for a list.  Do not recognise this one but perhaps could help by eliminated a few.
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: goodlife on August 28, 2010, 19:42:03
Hmm...list that I've sown..umm....someone wasn't up to speed this year with a lists.. :-[
The problem is that all my other beans have labels on...
And looks like I've thrown my envelope away too..so these must be last of the lot :o..
Flowers are off white/creamy coloured with pinky/peachy upper 2 petals..
Yes it is climbing french bean
And the flowers are not same with any other bean..I've got other 13 going on..
OHHH...why didn't I attach the label on with 3" nail.... ::)..mind though...I think somebody would have still found way to strim it off ::)
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: goodlife on August 28, 2010, 19:56:06
unless you planted the same variety in two places
Yes..that crossed my mind too..but only other climbing ones I have this year are, cosse violet, borlotto, cherokee tot, runnerbean, coldfield..all rest are bush sort...so it is not cosse or coldfield..wrong colour beans,,,runner it aint..,well not borlotto..and as cherokee trails of tears..wrong flower colour(even the bean is little similar...)
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: grannyjanny on August 28, 2010, 20:21:21
The bean fairy might have planted it ;D just to confuse you.
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: goodlife on August 28, 2010, 21:14:00
Oh,,,bloody fairies... ::)..yes I think so....
I've just been through 8yrs worth of receipts for tax returns..and gone through my book of 'seed shoppings', which I stopped filling in after 2004....and I just cannot find my big purchase from Seedfest...
Although I can still find they pages..I just cannot remember what I bought at the time.
I found receipts for few of climbing beans that I do not have anymore in my box...corona d'oro and blue lake..but if I remember right first one is yellow and second should be green..and the was tendercrop too, but that shoud be bush..huh.. ???
GrannyJanet..did you send me any beanseeds last spring by any chance.. ::) ;D...you did good lottery mixture for me of allsorts...
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: galina on August 29, 2010, 00:02:20
Quote from: goodlife on August 28, 2010, 21:14:00
Oh,,,bloody fairies... ::)..yes I think so....
I've just been through 8yrs worth of receipts for tax returns..and gone through my book of 'seed shoppings', which I stopped filling in after 2004....and I just cannot find my big purchase from Seedfest...
Although I can still find they pages..I just cannot remember what I bought at the time.
I found receipts for few of climbing beans that I do not have anymore in my box...corona d'oro and blue lake..but if I remember right first one is yellow and second should be green..and the was tendercrop too, but that shoud be bush..huh.. ???
GrannyJanet..did you send me any beanseeds last spring by any chance.. ::) ;D...you did good lottery mixture for me of allsorts...

I agree, these don't look like any of the others you are growing.

Just thought why not go on seedfest's webpage and see what beans they sell, turns out they stopped trading in July, can't do that.  You don't happen to have a paper catalogue?

If these were the last few seeds of the packet, chances are you have grown these beans before.  Are there any lists from last year?  Clutching at straws really....
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: Kepouros on August 29, 2010, 00:50:02
Are you sure that you didn`t get the seed in exchange for a cow?
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: grannyjanny on August 29, 2010, 07:07:05
Possibly Goodlife but can't remember, sorry ::).
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: goodlife on August 29, 2010, 13:20:33
Are you sure that you didn`t get the seed in exchange for a cow?
;Ohh..I would have known if I did..lottie rules say that we are not allowed any life stock...I wish I would have a cow.. ::)

[attachment=1]

anyway...what do think those other 2 are?...the one on the right is the mystery one..but now I have got doubt about the other two... ::)
I've got label on...but I would like to know what you might recognize them as..
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: grannyjanny on August 29, 2010, 14:14:47
Could the middle one be Wisley magic? I've just looked at planting chart for daughters plot & they look the same.
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: grannyjanny on August 29, 2010, 14:18:54
Please ignore my previous post, I've just looked for flowers on Wisley magic, obviously my chart is incorrect ::) :'(.
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: chriscross1966 on August 29, 2010, 21:49:45
It's a bit like Egyptian pea-bean and/or Marvel of Venice...... but can't remember flower types for them.....
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: galina on August 30, 2010, 01:20:46

The one on the left could possibly be Cherokee Trail of Tears.  Provided there is a purple seam and a noticeable string when the pods get a little more mature.

I am properly intrigued by the tiny bean in the middle.  It looks no longer than 3 inches.  I have never seen a climbing French bean this short.  You do grow some beauties.

Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: goodlife on August 30, 2010, 08:24:53
Ok...I'll have to 'spill the beans' then.. ;DThe one on left should be cherokee tot, the middle one..well I don't know...as it came with cherokee seeds..
When I bought lots of stuff from seedfest...hmm..some years ago.. ::)
..the middle one doesn't grow any longer than 3",,often less,,and it doesn't have much 'flesh' as soon as it start growing it start doing seeds, so it is for shelling ::)
I don't know if it is 'proper' named variety or just some sort of 'mongrel'..and now I'm wondering if the 'mystery' one is mongrel too.
So looks like I've got some sorting to do..I'll have to check if the mystery one is any good for shelling as it is bit on the thin side for eating as snap one..
if not...I'll be history..
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: galina on August 30, 2010, 21:18:37
Goodlife

The middle one, especially if it has loads of pods with small seeds, could be good as a soup bean.  Or any other application where you don't want to soak, then boil for hours.  Presumably you did not see any difference between the Ch tot seeds and the tiny bean seeds at sowing time?

I think the mystery long bean would be good for eating as green bean.  It may be flat, but it is quite long and you don't need to pick many for a meal. 

Yes it can be good fun to follow up 'strays'.  I am currently growing out 15 different F3  beans of a cross I got in a swap.  A very yellow, early, delicate wax bean and as it was grown right next to another variety at my donor's place, we think the Daddy was a late, tall, very butch bean, green with purple stripes.  And the offspring is anything and everything inbetween.  A whole garden of beans.  One type was so light green it could be said to be white.  I have never seen anything like it.  If you have a sense of fun, keep a few seeds of the mysteries and see what comes up next year.  It could be fun and as it is edible fun, you have lost nothing.  If they are exactly like they are now, you know it was a 'bin' error at the seed suppliers, if you get allsorts you know it was a cross.
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: Digeroo on August 30, 2010, 21:27:35
Where did you get the seeds from?   Did they come from HSL or a swap ? 
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: goodlife on August 31, 2010, 15:10:05
Where did you get the seeds from?   Did they come from HSL or a swap ? 
Hmm...the mystery one I do not know..and can't remember even if I've had any in swap..I can only remember getting some Ying yangs and those are fine and they are bush anyway..and I haven't been swapping for beans otherwise.
Earlier thise year GrannyJanet send me selection of all sorts of seeds in swap, but even then I can't remember there being any beans.
Otherwise my beans been from Seedfest..and few other seed companies.
I've got one or two from HSL but those are bush too...
Yes it can be good fun to follow up 'strays'....yes it is..the short little one I know it came with cherokee tot..mixed with as the seed looks same..and I've been growing it  now for some years..for eating as shelled beans..it seem to do loads and loads..good one actually.
As for the mystery one..well I'm going to have a proper tasting session today and really test if it is any good as green bean...and later on same as shelled bean.....'jury is out and about'..
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: grannyjanny on August 31, 2010, 17:40:06
Went to our plot today & we have them growing too. Great I thought, problem solved. Came home & checked my planting list & according to the it's ToT. Which we know it isn't. So why do I do charts ;D ::)?
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: goodlife on August 31, 2010, 19:51:00
I've picked some tonight and will taste the mystery ones tomorrow..I also notice that the whole row were the same variety..so if it would be rough bean, I would imagine there to be some variation within...mine definately is not TOT...different colour flower and the bean and the stems surfaces are almost 'coppery' tinted.
As for charts....what else we can do when there is foot of snow on ground and gardening is only a distant dream... ;D ::)
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: PurpleHeather on August 31, 2010, 21:29:57
Gosh a new bean species...

Patent it.

Could be worth a million
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: aj on August 31, 2010, 22:20:25
Probably just a rogue. When you grow lots of beans, you get plenty of them.

I had 5 last year and am already collecting the stable grow-outs from them this year. 2 are already named and growing in other people's gardens :D

If you really want to know what it is, just leave a few on the plant to dry out, shell them and then take a photo; it's usually the easiest way to try and track what they are....
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: goodlife on September 01, 2010, 18:15:19
I cooked  few lots of different beans in separate pans to do proper tasting session..and the mystery bean was really nice one as a green bean.. ;D
Now that tasting session was weird experience of sort..I've never actually tasted cooked bean without having some seasoning on or having them mixed into food...to me bean is just bean...but for my suprise there were quite big differences between beans..flavour and texture...and I have never cooked different varieties separately... ::)
Well.. now I'm that one experience richer ;D And the conclusion of the taste test was..that  I'm going to keep my mystery one and save some seeds for next year.. ;D....and I still have the shelled bean test to do too... ;D
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: galina on September 12, 2010, 01:39:10
Quote from: goodlife on September 01, 2010, 18:15:19
I cooked  few lots of different beans in separate pans to do proper tasting session..and the mystery bean was really nice one as a green bean.. ;D
Now that tasting session was weird experience of sort..I've never actually tasted cooked bean without having some seasoning on or having them mixed into food...to me bean is just bean...but for my suprise there were quite big differences between beans..flavour and texture...and I have never cooked different varieties separately... ::)
Well.. now I'm that one experience richer ;D And the conclusion of the taste test was..that  I'm going to keep my mystery one and save some seeds for next year.. ;D....and I still have the shelled bean test to do too... ;D


Sounds a useful bean after all!  Your long mystery reminds me slightly of 'Brejo' but they are not the same.  Similarly flat though.  And Brejo is a nice green-eating bean hence the suggestion.  Have you tasted the shelled out beans yet?

There are real diferences between beans if you taste them.  Not many people notice though.
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: grannyjanny on September 12, 2010, 07:32:41
I have some that look the same & so does daughter. I haven't tasted them separately yet as I did with Mrs Lewis last night, she was lovely, thank you Digeroo. I did 2 searate pans, one with Mrs L & the other a mix. I had Good Oil (hemp seed oil) lemon + salt & pepper & just had a plate full. They were lovely.
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: Digeroo on September 12, 2010, 07:55:24
I am glad you like Mrs L.  Grew 28 different beans this year and it is my favourite by a long way. 

Certainly nothing like my Brejo which have enormous flat green with red mottled beans it is very distintive. 

If you have a whole row how many plants are we talking about?  You only get 10 form hsl.

Middle one looks a bit like ODriscoll.  Lovely as fresh shelled.

Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: grannyjanny on September 12, 2010, 09:11:39
I've just looked at my list for planting for our plot & daughters. Both have O'Driscoll  but not where they're supposed to be, knowing me I have just not planted where I thought I had. Mrs L was delicious. I love braod bean omlettes so perhaps runner bean will be as nice.
Title: Re: Mystery bean
Post by: greenstar on September 12, 2010, 21:50:04
Read this post the other day and then went up to the plot and discovered the same thing.  Definitely where I planted ToT - maybe something in the weather that has affected them?